The Web Will Read You a Story

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The Web Will Read You a Story

This summer, Hugh McGuire was searching for free audio books online from his home in Montreal. He didn't find very much.

So McGuire launched LibriVox by recruiting amateur readers to create audio files of works of literature. The project now includes almost two dozen complete works, including Joseph Conrad's The Secret Agent, Jack London's The Call of the Wild and other classic novels and poems.

At the current rate of recording, McGuire says he expects LibriVox to hit 30 complete works by the end of the year.

McGuire said the zeal that different readers bring to each chapter gives the project a certain intimacy.

"It's a more personal experience, it feels like someone's reading to you rather than a professional, packaged thing," he said.

Many of the volunteers don't have or need a background in audio production, nor do they have professional recording equipment. Mark Bradford, one of the team leaders that coordinates the reading of an entire book, says that while he does have high-tech audio gear, that usually doesn't matter.

"The important part is the enthusiasm and what they bring to the work," he said. "If there's a buzzing in the background, we can ignore that. The essence is the words and how they're delivered by the volunteer."

Like Project Gutenberg, which inspired McGuire to launch the project, LibriVox employs volunteers from around the globe to participate in recording works. Each book is divided up into chapters, and each person records one chapter, which usually ends up being about 20 or 30 minutes of audio.

The files are hosted on Brewster Kahle's Internet Archive and are available in MP3 and OGG formats.

For some volunteers, LibriVox is a way to combine their love of literature with their passion for the spoken word.

Kristen McQuillen, 39, has recorded 21 different chapters across nine different books from her home in Tokyo. For her, reading a book aloud to someone can make the work more understandable.

"I'm giving people who wouldn't have exposure to some of these classics in a way that's not so intimidating," she said.

Many volunteers say they love the project and see no reason it won't continue indefinitely.

"It's not like there's any shortage of books to read," said McGuire, 31. "As long as there are books on Gutenberg.org I'll be happy to supply the voice."